Collets for use in tool-holding chuck assemblies are well known. Such collets generally comprise a tubular body formed from a plurality of elongated, flexible steel fingers. The fingers are separated by longitudinal collet saw slots that impart some degree of radial flexibility to the collet, which allows the collet to selectively grip the shank of a cutting tool, such as a drill bit. Adjacent gripping fingers are interconnected by an alternating pattern of metal webs to form a one-piece collet body. In operation, the collet body is inserted in a complementary-shaped opening in a chuck shaft so that a distal end of the collet body projects out of the shaft. An annular lock nut having an inner diameter screw thread that matches an outer diameter screw thread on the shaft is then installed over the shaft and distal end of the collet body. The lock nut has a nose ring with a frustoconical cam surface that engages the distal end of the collet body and squeezes it radially inwardly as the lock nut is screwed onto the chuck shaft. The radial compression that the lock nut applies to the distal end of the collet body flexes the body inwardly, creating a gripping force between the inner diameter of the collet body and a tool shank inserted therein.
Currently, sealed collets, also known as bonded collets, must have the slots filled with a rubber bonding compound or use an additional component to seal the collet. Without a bonded collet, the coolant flows through the collet and collet nut. Unfortunately, with a bonded collet, coolant can only flow through the tool.
Thus, there is a need for an improved collet that does not require the slots to be filled with a sealant while preventing coolant to flow through the collet and collet nut.